Next Thing, We're Touching
by singergirl17
Summary: Years have passed since Tony and the gang abandoned the streets of Bristol for university or New York.   Years have passed since Freddie McClair vanished without a trace. Now, everything has completely changed. All generations included.
1. Something Blue

**{- Hi guys, this is my attempt at a Skins Fanfiction! -}  
>DISCLAIMER: I do not own Skins or any of its material, I'm just using their characters to write for mine and your entertainment! :)<br>My name is Jenn, I have started writing this Fanfiction, which isn't like others because rather than focusing on the obvious characters, (as much as I love them, and as much as I love fanfictions that focus mainly on two characters) -  
>in this fanfiction I use characters from Series 1, 2, 3, 4 AND 5.<strong>

**I hope you like it!**

**Chapter One**_  
>Something Blue<em>

Emily Fitch was confused.  
>Okay, so marriage. It's not really that big a deal, right? Of course it's not.<br>Well, obviously it is a big deal but it's not something to be frightened or ashamed of. It's something you look forward to, something you dream of.  
>Right?<p>

She let her fingertips release the pages of the glossy magazine in her lap, exhaling deeply. Familiar phrases that had recently adorned the woman's mind swam faithfully through her thoughts.  
>"Maybe I'm too young."<br>"Maybe it's not the right time."  
>"Maybe I'm just not the marrying type."<br>"The wrong place."  
>"The wrong circumstances."<br>"The wrong person."

Snapping out of it, Emily shook her head and sighed again.  
>Determined, she re-opened the bridal magazine and engrossed herself within an article dedicated to the traditional 'something blue' aspect of weddings.<p>

Karen McClair was sat on the island countertop that stood boldly in the centre of the kitchen, her legs were crossed, her hair was held back and her lips were pursed in a dark scowl. Karen meant business.

The unlikely friendship between Emily Fitch and Karen McClair had occurred three and a half years ago, when Emily was verging nineteen.  
>Karen's father, also the father of Emily's late best friend Freddie, was diagnosed with lung cancer. Since the death of her brother, Karen had kept to herself – and Emily knew she was alone in the battle.<p>

One night, whilst Mr McClair was in hospital waiting out his remaining days – Emily approached Karen at his bedside. She'd had a shit day anyway, James had been winding her up and she'd fought with Katie, her mum was being a number one bitch – she needed to get away.

The first few seconds had been awkward.  
>"Hi," said Emily.<br>"Hi," replied Karen, not taking her eyes from her dad's bed. Emily had dropped her handbag on the floor, sat by her side and gingerly wrapped both arms around the skinny girl's body – holding her close.  
>After a few seconds, Karen had wept.<p>

She wept for her mum, the one who'd always been the beacon – and the detrimental grief her loss had rained upon the family.  
>She wept for Freddie, her brother whom she'd always been privately proud of for the person he'd turned out to be – she wept for his cruel kidnapping from life and the tatters it'd left them in.<br>She wept for her inner refusal to accept his death, and the turmoil it caused her, torturing herself over where he was, dead or alive.  
>She wept for her father, and how the two heaviest blows in his life, the deaths of two people held dear in his heart, had finally won him over.<br>She wept for the night before, when she'd held his arm and he told her gently that he wanted no more tests, no more medication, no more morphine, no more anything. He told her gently to let him go, because he needed to. And then he told her how beautifully strong she was, and that she'd always be his little star.  
>After that she'd let him sleep. He hadn't woken up since.<br>Finally, Karen wept for fear.  
>The sinking, settling fear that she was ultimately on her own.<p>

Emily Fitch let her sob for hours. She stroked the girl's dark hair and murmured quiet things of condolence. When Karen's crying had stopped, and Mr McClair's heart ceased to beat – Emily Fitch and Karen McClair became inseparable.

And now, years later – the painful grip on Karen's heart had noticeably loosened; she was as ambitious and bossy as ever, sharing a small flat with her friend.  
>"I'VE FOUND IT. OH MY GOD, EM, I'VE FOUND IT!" she shrieked, disturbing the calm silence that'd previously coated the flat.<br>Emily jumped out of her skin and dropped the magazine, she stood up and entered through to the kitchen.  
>"You've actually decided this time?" she said, amused.<br>"Yes! Yes, definitely the right choice now, seriously," said Karen, thrusting a flimsy bit of paper in Emily's face. Emily cocked an eyebrow, then took the paper from her hands. Surveying it, she let her lips melt into a smile.  
>"Yes, this is it."<br>Karen beamed at her, proud to have finally got one aspect of her role as Maid of Honour correctly.  
>"Well, now that we have the colour AND the design – we can call in the bridesmaids! Who did you decide on in the end? Katie? Cass?"<br>Emily swallowed, quickly averting her gaze to the floor. Karen let a moment pass, then opened her mouth indignantly, pointing an accusing finger at Emily.  
>"Alright, alright! I just didn't know who to choose, okay? I love them all," said Emily miserably. Karen rolled her eyes and swung her legs off the counter, walking towards Emily and tapping her under the chin.<br>"Oi, it's your wedding. Just don't blame me when Miss-Mighty Katie Fitch gets her bloody knickers in a cyclone when she locks horns with Effy."


	2. Forget Me Not

Chapter Two

_Forget Me Not_

"Congratulations Cassie, we have decided to cast you as Helena."  
>Cassandra Ainsworth grinned widely at the man, her butterscotch eyes large with pleasure.<br>"Oh yes, wow - thank you, Mr. Wolfe, thank you so much!" she shook his hand vigorously and once again admired the silk daisies on his tie.  
>"It's not me you ought to thank Cass, you got yourself the role. And please, call me James dear," said Mr. Wolfe affectionately, sorting through papers on his desk. Cassie clapped her palms together twice in excitement, this was all quite new to the waitress. She was going to be an actress, how fascinating.<p>

Mr Wolfe was a considerate man in his early-thirties. His hair was thinning at the sides but it remained the rich chestnut colour it'd always been. He had the warmest smile going and two crinkly eyes that reminded Cassie of a pair of blue shorts she'd once owned. Cassie had met Mr. Wolfe in her café that she'd owned for the past three years. He'd popped in to place an ad on their pin-board and grab a coffee.  
>Cassie, had been serving a lady she inwardly referred to as 'Miss Marzipan' due to the overwhelming sweetness of the woman's perfume. She glanced across at the pin-board, surveying the advert with squinting eyes.<p>

"ACTRESSES WANTED  
>Established director James Wolfe is searching for two actresses between the ages of 18-25 to audition for the roles of HERMIA and HELENA in his upcoming production of 'A Midsummer Night's Dream' by William Shakespeare<br>Please fill out an application form and send it to the following address…"

The man was tall, friendly and if the advert had much to go by, rather picky when it came to his casting.  
>He'd ordered a coffee.<br>"Hello, I hope you don't find this a bit funny but how come you're auditioning in New York? Don't you do your plays in Chicago?" she'd asked, stirring sugar into his latte.  
>He told her that he'd already held auditions in Chicago in the Appallis theatre.<br>"Sadly dear, nobody fitted the bill I'm afraid! So hear I am, wandering the streets of New York in search for my next leading ladies."  
>Mr. Wolfe had a vision for this play and he refused to begin rehearsals until he'd found the perfect duo for the parts.<br>Cassie, intrigued and slightly attracted to his determination had signed up to audition. She'd read A Midsummer Night's Dream, she knew how it felt to be Helena, when it feels like everybody else in the world is playing some game and you don't know and they'd conveniently forgotten to give you the rules.  
>It's something new to try, she'd decided. She'd always loved going to see things at the theatre, all those people in those wonderful costumes and silly accents and flamboyant tendencies, oh she really loved it! So why not be in a play?<br>"Why not indeed my dear! Sign right on up," Mr. Wolfe had said after Cassie asked for a form. She'd scribbled her details onto the paper then handed it back. Mr. Wolfe had tipped his hat, winked at her then left the café – secretly thrilled.

When Mr. Wolfe first spotted the pale, willowy woman that Cassie had grown into – he took in the wavy blonde hair and the eager, childlike brown eyes and stored her in his head. She definitely looked the part. Cassie served him his coffee, chatted to him about the troubles of keeping sunflowers stood up straight in her garden, then left. He didn't see her again until the audition, and he hadn't been sure she'd turn up.

Subsequently, a week later – she'd landed the role.

"Now, we have our Demetrius in the theatre this afternoon to collect his script, would you care to accompany me to the sound room to fetch yours? You can meet the fellow." Offered Mr. Wolfe.  
>Knowing she had little else to do today, Cassie took his arm and the two made their way through the grandeur of Appalis Theatre. Cassie enjoyed it here. The lighting was dim and cast a vintage glow over the corridors, the curtains were dusty and a deep green velvet. There were portraits of actors and actresses lined across every wall, Cassie took it upon herself to make up little stories about the ones she didn't recognise. She was busy pondering over whether 'Mia Harold' had been tragically murdered before Act Three of Othello (she'd cast Mia as Desdemona in her head), or if she'd attacked the actor who played Iago in a moment of spontaneous insanity – when Mr. Wolfe gently patted her arm indicating they'd arrived.<p>

As they entered a small room on the left hand side of the corridor (Cassie noted this in case they tried to murder her), they were met by the image of two men in the technician booth behind the auditorium. Both men had their backs to Cassie.  
>Mr. Wolfe cleared his throat,<br>"Good afternoon gentleman, I have just cast the one remaining role in the show! The role of Helena has gone to-.."  
>But Mr. Wolfe was cut off by the man stood to the right.<br>He still had his back turned, but the second his mouth released that confident drawl – Cassie knew exactly who he was.

"She's thin, she's blonde and she says 'wow' a lot."

Cassie's eyes glittered and she felt a jump of recognition in her stomach.  
>Tony Stonem turned around and smiled at Cassie.<br>"Hello Cassie, you haven't changed." Cassie was speechless for a second then she jumped into excited chatter.  
>"Oh wow, Tony! This is just, this is so, so lovely, are you in the show?" she asked, throwing her arms around Tony's neck and embracing him tightly.<br>Tony felt a slight knock at a place he'd locked in his heart a very long time ago, but ignored it and pattered her back affectionately.  
>"I am indeed, I am directing half the show and have taken it upon myself to play the role of Demetrius."<br>"That's brilliant, that's really, really brilliant," breathed Cassie.

Mr. Wolfe quickly caught onto the fact that the two were friends. Clearly they hadn't been reunited for a long time, so he tactfully excused himself and the bemused looking technician for ten minutes to attend to lighting difficulties in Act Two.

"How've you been Cass?" asked Tony finally. Cassie shrugged, still smiling wildly at him.  
>"Tell me everything Tony, right now. Why are you in Chicago? Why are you even in America? How is Michelle? Did you marry her in the end? Have you heard from-.." Cassie broke off, her wide smile suspended for a few seconds, until it drooped, and her eyes glazed over. Tony felt a pang of compassion for his skinny companion. He had heard from Sid, but he didn't have the heart to tell her what he knew.<br>He held up his palms and smiled apologetically at her.  
>"Woah, calm down love! Still the same old Cass. Listen – I need to get back to my apartment, I'm already late. You should pop round tonight, in fact – I insist that you do."<br>Cassie watched contently as Tony stole a scrap of paper from the sound-desk and scribbled down his address.  
>"I'll be there Tony."<br>Tony glanced at Cassie for a second, then kissed her on the cheek and made to leave the room.  
>"Wait," said Cassie, grabbing his wrist. Tony stared at her.<br>"How did you know?" she added with a slight smile.  
>"How did you know it was me, playing Helena?"<br>Tony looked at her seriously.  
>"I've been stalking you."<br>Cassie blinked, then smiled at him, eyes wide.  
>"Wow." She responded. Tony let out a wonderfully loud laugh and patted her shoulder, "I saw you on the audition list. I knew you'd get it Cass."<br>And with a wink, he was gone. 


	3. In The Clouds

**{- Thank you so much to those who have read this far! -}  
>I hope you all like what I do in this chapter, I know people will want to know who Emily is engaged to! You will hear more from her fiance in the next chapters but just to warn you, Emily's point of view in this adventure is being put on hold for a few chapters ;) just to keep you all in suspense! And to get you more involved in CassieTony's New York reunion and introduce characters from Series 5.  
>{- ReadReview! -}**

Chapter Three_  
>In The Clouds<em>

"Nervous?" asked Karen, squeezing Emily's hand.  
>The redhead nodded dumbly, anticipation settled in her stomach like a rock.<br>The friends were seated in the expensively quaint café-restaurant that'd recently opened a few miles away from their flat. Emily had found it on her way to work, comfortably opened on the corner of two streets. The outside was a classic white marble and the inside was very pearly; pearly pink cushions and pearly china cups – that type of place.  
>They were waiting for five girls, well it would've been five – but Emily had received an email from Cassie a few hours ago saying she couldn't get a flight back to Bristol until Saturday, but sends her regards. Thankfully, Cassie had accepted her bridesmaid position instantly and with utter joy – there'd been many 'lovely's and 'wow's in the conversation, leaving Emily quite satisfied with the phrase: 'One down, four to go' in her head.<br>Five.  
>Katie, Pandora, Effy and Naomi.<br>Emily swallowed, a lump forming in her throat that threatened to bring tears to her eyes. Emily had never been much of a soldier when it came to emotions, they'd harnessed her for most of her life though she'd succeeded during these recent years, in keeping them at bay. The thought of watching the tall, slim, full of attitude, blonde-haired, blue-eyed dream that had completely consumed Emily's heart for three years of her life saunter through the door was – well, it was terrifying.  
>She probably wouldn't even show up. Everyone has responded to the phonecall, but when she'd called Naomi's number, the only number she had for Naomi – the line was dead. She must've changed it. She'd emailed her, to no reply.<br>She's not going to turn up, she's not. She won't be here.  
>Emily couldn't think straight, she needed one person to show up soon or she was going to crack with the suspense.<p>

She was wearing a green dress today, it was tight and flattering – and went wonderfully with her sheer black tights and velvet green bow-heels. Her nails were painted red, but the nail of her left thumb was predictable chipped and worn looking – she picked it when nervous.  
>Finally, the door a few feet away from their table opened, bringing two girls into the room. Pandora and Effy entered – their contrast too fantastic for words.<p>

Pandora had gained grace over the years, but she was still the same dopey Pandora.  
>Her hair was longer now, and she'd lost a lot of weight – sporting a healthy size eight. She had legs to die for, and the loveliest pair of grey eyes. Emily always found it quite astounding how most people didn't look at her twice; but then again, she spent an inordinate amount of time with the striking Effy Stonem. Whenever Effy was around, every other girl is guaranteed a complete zero percent of male attention.<br>Pandora didn't care though, she was happily in love and engaged to the French gentleman, Thomas – and her bliss oozed from her persona everywhere she went.

"Ems! Karen! This is mega, you're getting married Ems! Just like me! It's super, isn't it super, Effy? It took us about four hours to get here you know, we've been in Wales! Isn't that mad? Wales! Who would've thought, Effy didn't seem to like it though, did you Eff? Too much sheep and too little drugs she said, silly Eff. Ah well, we're here now! So who's the man? Where is he Ems?"  
>Emily gave Pandora a small smile, grateful for the loud, bubbly distraction that she presented the group. Karen had a soft spot for Pandora ever since Pandora had begged her for ballet classes and turned out to be a natural ballerina. They'd seen one another quite often over the years. Karen thought Pandora was funny, someone who mad her laugh and appreciate herself – something Karen had grown to value through the circumstances.<p>

Emily took a deep breath.  
>These were her best friends. They were here for her, for her wedding.<br>They were in a gorgeous café, all wearing lovely clothes and prepared for a fucking bang of a weekend celebrating – stop being scared.  
>That's what Naomi would've said. Stop being scared Ems.<br>She grinned, laughing at the faces all staring at her.  
>"Come on you losers, let's sit down and get coffee while we wait for the others."<br>As they took their seats around a sweet round table, Emily glanced down the menu as a waiter approached and smiled at them all.  
>"Actually, sod it. Two bottles of wine please mate, cheers." She said, determined to stay bubbly.<br>Pandora and Karen began an engaging conversation about ballet and Thomas, whom Karen loved hearing about. Effy pretend to read the menu, but her steely eyes flickered up to watch Emily.  
>Effy had never outwardly expressed her fascination with Emily.<br>The way she bit her pink bottom lip and sucked in her right cheek when she was deep in thought indicated that something was bothering her. Effy knew her well enough to know what, or rather who, it was.  
>"Tell you what." She said, startling the others who weren't used to her speaking at random, "I fancy a fag. Coming Em?" she stared at Emily, her eyes telling her to accept.<br>"Yeah, yeah sure." Accepted Emily, following her out of the room.  
>The two wandered outside and into the small patio area at the back of the café for guests to smoke. Effy withdrew a box of Marlboro Reds and handed one to Emily who gratefully accepted. She'd been trying to quit for a year now, but sod it – clearly wasn't happening.<br>"You looking forward to it then?" asked Effy, looking at the clouds and inhaling wisely.  
>Emily looked at the sky too, wondering if they were seeing the same things.<br>Sometimes, when she watched Effy – she found herself wondering if they were even on the same planet. Effy seemed to have her own planet, and Emily had only ever seen one person find his way there. The thought of Freddie sent a wave of sadness through her chest, she looked at the floor.  
>Although Effy was still Effy, she'd changed.<p>

Back when they were seventeen and reckless, she'd been Effy Stonem – fearless, fascinating and positively frightful. She'd turned up at school in tie-dyed grey and black vests worn as dresses, ripped fishnets, her signature black boots and her hair an unbrushed wave down her back. Her make up had always been bold, a slick of black eyeliner across her lids, dusty purple eyeshadow, heavy mascara and the occasional night of bright red lipstick.

She'd been dangerously striking, and she never gave a fuck.

Now, Effy was just different.  
>She'd dyed her hair a very dark brown colour, almost black – and she styled it in loose curls these days – not the signature straight hair she'd once sported. Her make-up consisted of pressed powder, mocha eyeshadow and dark mascara – as well as coral coloured lipstick. She was still utterly beautiful, but in a different, sadder way. She appeared almost exotic with her new way of presenting herself, but her eyes looked deeper, bluer and more vulnerable without their disguise of sharp black make-up to hide them. She looked fragile.<br>The leather jackets and biker boots had been replaced with grey cardigans and matching heels. Her weight had plummeted, size eights swamped her body.  
>Emily's gaze incidentally landed on Effy's nails, painted black and chipped.<br>Instantly, Emily felt better. Though Effy had upgraded her grungy, Effy-look to a classy, more doll-like appearance – she still had the Elizabeth Stonem signature fingernails. Black, chipped, and bitten to the skin.

"Oi."  
>Emily jumped.<br>"Sorry Eff, world of my own there," mumbled Emily glancing back up. Effy snorted and inhaled deeply from her fag again.  
>"I said, are you looking forward to it then? Your wedding, remember that?"<br>Emily scowled.  
>"'Course I am."<br>Effy gave her a withering look.  
>"Then why are you walking around like you're hiding from a rapist?"<br>Emily was shocked, she opened her mouth to snap back a sharp retaliation – but couldn't find the words and faltered. Effy's expression softened, and to Emily's surprise she felt a bony hand take hold of her own.  
>"It's okay you know." She said quietly.<br>"What?" replied Emily, feeling the danger of tears approaching fast.  
>"It's okay to not know," said Effy simply, squeezing Emily's hand before letting it go.<br>Emily didn't reply, just let Effy's words sink in.  
>"You're like Buddha, you know that right?" she said eventually with a cheeky grin on her face. Effy smirked and looked back at the clouds.<br>"Being a deity has its downfalls Fitch."  
>Emily watched her friend for a few seconds, and noticed something slightly tragic.<br>She had an air of restlessness about her. She stood as though she was constantly looking out for someone, or waiting for an arm to fold around her. Her eyes flickered to the sides every few seconds. At certain sounds, her head twitched only slightly – as though she was listening for any sign, any sign at all that he was there.  
>It was horrible.<p>

"Go on then, I wanna be the first fucker to know," Said Effy, snapping out of her trail of thought.  
>"Know what?" said Emily, know she already knew what.<br>"Who the lucky fiancé is," said Effy in a slightly mocking tone – she finished her cigarette and tossed it on the floor – watching it smoulder for a few seconds. Then she turned to face Emily, who hastily shoved the cigarette in her mouth and inhaled to buy her some time.  
>She hadn't let it go unnoticed how Effy didn't say 'lucky guy', leaving the gender she was thinking completely open to interpretation.<br>Feeling the girl's pale blue eyes bore into her skull – she sighed and decided everyone was going to have to know sooner or later.  
>Why was she so reluctant about this anyway? This was who she was marrying for fuck's sake, get a grip Emily.<br>"Her name is Bonnie." She said quietly, unable to prevent a small smile playing on her lips as she said the name.  
>"Bonnie Medley."<p> 


	4. Bang Bang

**{- Hello! Thank you so much for the few reviews I've had so far, I'm enjoying writing this story so much :) Sorry to all those who are desperate to find out more about Bonnie Medley, a chapter explaining all is IN PRODUCTION! Haha, but for now I'm sticking to the Series 5 characters and Cassie/Tony's storyline. Chapter Six is halfway finished, and I can faithfully promise it shall NOT disappoint!**

**Hope you enjoy, read & review :) -}**

Chapter Four

_Bang Bang_

One, two, three, four. One, two, three, four. One, two..  
>Mini's heartbeat sped up with every minute that passed. The troubled teenager had been running on her treadmill for about two and a half solid hours.<br>Her light hair was whipped back into a high ponytail, and she was clad in pink lycra shorts and a wifebeater vest.  
>Her mind was troubled. It had been troubled for days now, and she didn't have a fucking clue what to do about it.<br>Mini was the top, the queen, she was the best and everybody knew it.  
>And then Franky had shown up, and everything had spiralled completely out of her direction.<br>Stupid Franky.  
>With her stupid, short hair -<br>And her stupid, pathetic voice -  
>And her stupid, lesbian clothes -<br>And her stupid, stupid, skinniness –

And her stupid fucking way of always being **in **the fucking way.  
>"URGH." Shrieked Mini, shoving her fist down on the emergency stop button of the treadmill, panting heavily. Her legs buzzed with energy even as they stood still, she'd been running faster than she ever had before. The anger she felt towards Franky fuelled her on.<br>She hated her.  
>Mini's eyes cast downwards at her trainers. No. She didn't hate her.<br>Not at all, not even slightly.  
>And this was what Mini truly hated.<p>

"What're you doing?"  
>Franky, dressed in faded grey shorts, an extremely baggy brown jumper and black boots – did not turn around. Her eyelids were coated in a thin layer of grey and black powder, highlighting the sharp detail of her wonderfully light eyes.<br>She held her gun out in front of her, firing bullets at beer cans on the old table ahead of her.  
>"Franky!"<br>Franky turned her head. Matty. Again. She turned back, fired another bullet and caught the can right in the heart.  
>"What the hell, where've you been? Come on Franks, talk to me."<br>Franky ignored him.  
>Sick of this, Matty walked towards her, snatched the gun from her hand and threw it on the ground ahead of them. He seized her by the shoulders and shook her hard – piercing her with his gaze.<br>"Talk, to me." He said in a slow voice.  
>Franky looked at him. She really looked at him hard.<br>She remembered those days when those eyes..  
>Those eyes could have made her dance in a bonfire if they'd asked her to.<br>Those arms that held her so firmly now, had once held her so firmly before. Held her against his hot, sweating body as he thrust into her – fast and hard as though desperately searching for something. Something.  
>Frankie's soft expression turned to steel.<br>Something he never found.  
>She pulled away from him and made to pick up the gun again.<br>"NO. FRANKY, FUCKING HELL JUST STOP THIS AND TALK TO ME," yelled Matty, grabbing her arm and pulling her towards him again. This time, his eyes were full of tears.  
>"What did I do, Franky?" he said quietly, his voice hoarse. Franky's heart tugged at her, angry at her. But her heart did not belong to Matty. Fuck, it didn't belong to ANYBODY.<br>"Nothing," she replied.  
>"Nothing?" repeated Matty, his eyes wide and frantic. Franky grew slightly afraid.<br>"Nothing? Franks, we've been shagging for weeks now. I got rid of Liv, she wasn't right for me. YOU are right for me Franky! Everytime I see you, I just want to have you. I love you."  
>Franky inhaled sharply, all her senses rejecting what he just said strongly.<br>He dismissed this, and carried on in a sad, soft voice.  
>"I love you, Franky. So why won't you just, Jesus – why won't you JUST be me with me?"<p>

Franky stared at Matty for a long time after this.  
>She hadn't said anything, nor had she given him an answer – for she had no answer to give. All she knew was she just, couldn't. She couldn't be Matty.<br>Everything was blurred, confusing – rushed.  
>They'd left high school ages ago, but nobody had really gone any further. Everything had stayed the same.<br>Grace had been accepted into Oxford, but she turned it down (sending her father into a panicked frenzy in the process), to attend a university in Scotland instead to study ballet and contemporary theatre. Rich had applied for the same university, and to everybody's surprise and joy – he'd been accepted onto a course for music development and theory. Alo was a working man now, he started working as a waiter in a restaurant and worked his way up to become bar manager, and now – shockingly, he owned the place.  
>Liv had opened her own tattoo shop, and had created some wonderful tattoos on some of the locals.<br>Nobody heard much from Nick, but Franky had seen him leaving Liv's in the early hours of the mornings. That had started up again, she kept this information strictly to herself.  
>And Mini.<br>Franky's mouth went slightly dry.  
>Mini was still around, she worked as a yoga instructor in town and in Alo's bar some evenings. She owned her own little flat in the outskirts of their town.<br>Franky and Mini had become best friends. The best of friends. Franky's fathers had taken a while to adjust to this, after being so defensive towards Mini after her initial harsh treatment towards Franky. Now however, they adored her. They even stocked up the cupboards with green tea and low-calorie goodies for Mini to feast on to her heart's content when she was round.  
>They went everywhere together, Franky even tried out the yoga class for some time – not really her thing though.<br>Mini told her everything, her insecurities, her fears, everything. She really let Franky in. And in turn, Franky let Mini in – bit by bit, slowly easing Mini into the small portion of trust that Franky had saved inside herself.  
>Then it all went wrong.<p>

Matty had came back on the scene, and Franky had been infatuated by him and his unexpected return. He started seeing her in early hours of the morning for a smoke, a talk. Soon it became a kiss, a grope. And now they were regularly making love. Franky saw less and less of Mini, and Mini grew more and more furious by it.

Mini tried to convince herself that their friendship had been a flaw on her part.  
>Tried to convince herself that Franky was nobody, she'd just turned up here and ruined things. She tried. Each time she tried however, she ended up in floods of tears. She missed her, and she hated Matty's hold on her.<br>What she hated more though, was the jealousy. The poisonous, invading jealousy that flowed through her veins everytime Franky was with Matty not her.  
>Franky was supposed to her best friend, chicks before dicks and all that shit.<br>But no, Franky had chosen Matty to spend her time with. This infuriated Mini and now she wanted nothing more to do with the girl.

It was insulting. Offensive. Just, not right.

Franky thought all of this, she let it all swim through her head and confuse her – like taking a wet brush and smearing it across an oil painting, blending all the colours into an indistinguishable mess.  
>She didn't want to talk.<br>She didn't want to explain.  
>Images and voices flooded through her head, Matty making love to her in the woods, Liv sitting her down and asking her if she was gay, Mini kissing her in Grace's play, saying goodbye to Grace and Rich as they left for university, sleeping next to Mini in her bed and breathing in the powdery, gingerbread scent of her skin..<br>Angrily, Frankie stepped towards Matty and pulled his head towards hers – lips meeting lips, chest meeting chest.  
>She kissed him with furious passion, make the thoughts go away, make them go away..<br>Matty's reluctance melted to nothing and he wound his arms around Franky, the girl he loved – holding her to him for fear that if he didn't, she'd slip away.  
>Franky felt her lips against his, their tongues entwining together and his hands in her hair. But in her mind, in the small, quiet corner of mind left undisturbed – sat Mini.<br>Why.  
>Squeezing her eyes shut Franky slid her hand down to Matty's crotch, stroking and grabbing – urging him on. He took the hint instantly and tore off her jumper, while she busied herself with his belt.<br>She closed the door on that corner of mind, and the question 'Why'.  
>Who cares why.<br>The answer would only make things worse.


End file.
